Holding device with multiple suction cup

ABSTRACT

Provided is a holding device comprising a suction-type plate assembly including a plurality of resilient plates each having a concave shape and extended from its enlarged middle part, a shaft extended from the middle part and extended away from the plates, the shaft having external threads; a bracket passed by the shaft; a bell disposed between the bracket and the plate assembly, the bell passed by the shaft; and a nut. Pressing the plate assembly onto a surface and pressing the shaft onto the bell to urge its edge against an edge of an adjacent one of the plates will create a vacuum between the surface and the bell, and driving the nut to secure to the shaft to urge against the bracket and in turn to urge the bracket against the bell will maximize a sucking force created by the vacuum for adhering the plate assembly to the surface.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to suction cups and more particularly to aholding device having two suction-type plates and other improvedcharacteristics such that a strong sucking force created in itsoperational state can last for a very long time.

RELATED ART

Holding devices (e.g., cup holders) incorporating suction cup are verypopular nowadays due to its nondestructive feature, quick assembly, andother benefits. A conventional holder incorporating the principles ofsuction cup is shown in FIG. 1. The suction cup 1 is made of resilientmaterial (e.g., soft plastics). In mounting, a user may put the suctioncup 1 onto a surface (e.g., wall) prior to pressing the surface tocreate a vacuum by evacuating air therein. However, the peripheral edgeof the suction cup 1 cannot completely adhere to the surface afterinstallation (i.e., seal can only be maintained for a short time). As anend, the holder and thus an object hung thereon may fall onto the groundin a short time of use. This is not desirable.

Another prior holder incorporating the principles of suction cup as animprovement of the above one is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The holdercomprises a plate 2 made of resilient material (e.g., soft plastics) andhaving a concave shape, the plate 2 adapted to adhere to a surface, ascrew 3 extended from a center of the plate 2 and extended away from thesurface, a bell 4 having its periphery attached to an edge of the plate2 such that the shank of the screw 3 can extend through a central borethe bell 4, an L-shaped bracket 5 with its horizontal portion served asmeans for holding an object, and a nut 6 threadedly secured to outerthreads of the shank of the screw 3 extended through an upper bore at avertical portion of the bracket 5. In mounting, a user may put the plate2 onto a surface (e.g., wall) prior to pressing the surface to create avacuum by evacuating air therein. Next, drive the nut 6 for fasteningthe holder with the edge of the plate 2 being pressed by the bell 4 andthus the surface being pressed by the plate 2. Seal between theperipheral edge of the plate 2 and the surface can be maintained for along time because the peripheral edge of the plate 2 is completelyadhered to the surface after installation. However, it still has twodisadvantages. That is, either its sucking force is not sufficient forholding a relatively heavy object or it is not durable because only oneplate is provided. In one example, seal between the peripheral edge ofthe plate 2 and the surface can be compromised when a heavy object ishung on the holder. As an end, both the holder and the object fall ontothe ground suddenly.

Thus, it is desirable to provide a durable, strong holding device withmultiple suction cup in order to overcome the above drawbacks of priorart.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a holdingdevice comprising a suction-type plate assembly including a plurality ofresilient plates each having a concave shape and extended from itsenlarged middle part, and a shaft extended from the middle part andextended away from the plates, the shaft having external threads and anannular flange; a bracket for holding one or more objects hung thereonbeing passed by the shaft; a bell disposed between the bracket and theplate assembly, the bell including an enlarged middle part and a borethrough the middle part with the shaft extended through prior to passingthe bracket; and a nut member having internal threads, whereby pressingthe plate assembly onto a surface and pressing the shaft onto the bellto urge its edge against an edge of an adjacent one of the plates willcreate a vacuum between the surface and the bell, and driving the nutmember to threadedly secure to the shaft to urge against the bracket andin turn to urge the bracket against the bell will maximize a suckingforce created by the vacuum for adhering the plate assembly to thesurface. By utilizing this, the holding device and thus a hung objectcan maintain in an operational state for a very long time.

In one aspect of the present invention rotate the nut member about 360degrees about the shaft with the middle part of the plate assembly urgedby the middle part of the bell at the end of threading will lock theholding device with the sucking force being maximum.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional holder;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of another conventional holder;

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view of the assembled holder of FIG. 2 inthe operational state thereof;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of holding deviceaccording to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled holding device of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are axial sectional views illustrating foursequential steps of adhering the holding device of FIG. 4 to a surface;and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a holding device inaccordance with the invention comprising a suction-type plate assembly10 including first and second plates 11 and 12 each made of resilientmaterial (e.g., soft plastics) and having a concave shape, and extendedfrom its enlarged middle part, a shaft 13 extended from the middle partand extended away from both the first and second plates 11 and 12, theshaft 13 having external threads adjacent its free end, and an annularflange formed adjacent the threads of the shaft 13, the flange having anarc-shaped surface and two opposite notches 14 on the arc-shaped surface(see FIG. 10); a bell 20 having an enlarged middle part; an L-shapedbracket 30 with its horizontal portion served as means for holding anobject, and a cylindrical nut member 40 including three bars equallyspaced apart around its circumferential surface for ease of beingoperated by the hand, a cylindrical recess having two opposite flexibletabs 41 formed on a periphery of its annular bottom, and an internallythreaded section formed on a cavity further inside the recess. Note thatthe bracket 30 may be shaped other than above in other embodiments forholding one or more different objects thereon. In assembly, first engagethe periphery of the bell 20 with an edge of the second plate 12 suchthat the shaft 13 can extend through a central bore the bell 20. Next,further extend the shaft 13 through an upper bore at a vertical portionof the bracket 30 until the middle part of the plate assembly 10 isurged by the bracket 30. Finally, drive the nut member 40 to threadedlysecure to the shaft 13.

Referring to FIG. 6, in installation a user may put the plate assembly10 onto a surface (e.g., wall) prior to pressing the shaft 13 and thusboth the first and second plates 11 and 12 to create a vacuum byevacuating air in both the first and second plates 11 and 12. At thisstate, both the first and second plates 11 and 12 are substantiallycompletely adhered to the surface.

Referring to FIG. 7, assemble the bell 20, the bracket 30, and nutmember 40 by traversing steps discussed with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.At this state, both the first and second plates 11 and 12 are stillsubstantially completely adhered to the surface.

Referring to FIG. 8, rotate the nut member 40 about 180 degrees aboutthe shaft 13 to urge the periphery of the bell 20 against the edge ofthe second plate 12 for maintaining a vacuum in a space defined by thebell 20 and the second plate 12. Also, the middle part of the plateassembly 10 moves toward the middle part of the bell 20 as threadingcontinues. This further increases a vacuum in the space defined by thebell 20 and the second plate 12, a vacuum in a space defined by thefirst and second plates 11 and 12, and a vacuum in a space defined bythe first plate 11 and the surface respectively. In other words, suckingforce of each of the first and second plates 11 and 12 is increasedgradually.

Referring to FIG. 9, further rotate the nut member 40 about 180 degreesabout the shaft 13 with the middle part of the plate assembly 10 urgedby the middle part of the bell 20 at the end of threading (i.e.,fastened). At this state, the free end of the shaft 13 contacts a blindend of the innermost cavity of the nut member 40. Also, the portion ofthe shaft 13 extended into the nut member 40 is a maximum. A vacuumcreated by the bell 20 and the surface thus reaches a maximum. In otherwords, sucking force of each of the first and second plates 11 and 12reaches its own maximum. This can maintain a seal between the peripheraledges of both the plate assembly 10 and the bell 20 and the surface fora long time because they are completely adhered to the surface. As aresult, the holding device and thus a hung object can maintain in thisoperational state for a very long time as long as the object is stillhung thereon (i.e., durable).

Referring to FIG. 10, in the above fastened state of the holding devicethe tabs 41 enter into the notches 14 by snapping (i.e., locked).

Note that pitch of the threads of the shaft 13 or the nut member 40 isrelatively long. This facilitates a quick installation or disassembly ofthe holding device.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means ofspecific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could bemade thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from thescope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

1. A holding device comprising: a suction-type plate assembly includinga plurality of resilient plates each having a concave shape and extendedfrom its enlarged middle part, and a shaft extended from the middle partand extended away from the plates, the shaft having external threads andan annular flange; a bracket for holding one or more objects hungthereon being passed by the shaft; and a nut member having internalthreads, whereby pressing the plate assembly onto a surface and pressingthe shaft onto the plates will create a vacuum between the surface andthe plate assembly, and driving the nut member to secure to the shaftand urge against the bracket will maximize a sucking force created bythe vacuum for adhering the plate assembly to the surface.
 2. Theholding device of claim 1, further comprising a bell disposed betweenthe bracket and the plate assembly, the bell including an enlargedmiddle part and a bore through the middle part, and wherein the shaftextends through the bore prior to passing the bracket and securing tothe nut member, and an edge of the bell is urged against an edge of anadjacent one of the plates in response to driving the nut member tosecure to the shaft.
 3. The holding device of claim 1, wherein a pitchof the threads of either the shaft or the nut member is long.
 4. Theholding device of claim 1, wherein the nut member further comprises twoopposite flexible tabs formed on its internal shoulder, and the flangeincludes an arc-shaped surface and two opposite notches formed on thearc-shaped surface, the notches adapted to lockingly engage with thetabs at the end of driving the nut member to secure to the shaft.
 5. Theholding device of claim 1, wherein the number of the plates is two. 6.The holding device of claim 1, wherein the bracket is of L-shaped.